On Wednesday, the 19th annual Pembroke Professional Firefighters Association's Chili-Fest got rolling after setting up shop in Victoria Hall and the Drop-In Seniors Centre.

Over the course of three hours, the firefighters raised more than $4,000, much of that as a result of a surge in take out orders.

Firefighter Jason Kelly, Chili-Fest coordinator, said this is the most they ever raised with the event, noting a lot of people popped by to drop off donations as well. Take out exceeded 200 orders, which is well above the 80 they received last year.

“It turned out amazing,” he said. “Pretty much everything sold out. The vegetarian chili sold out within moments, so we're going to do a double batch next year.”

Chili-Fest started in 1999 in conjunction with the Festival of Trees, back in the day when it was held in the Pembroke Armoury and as a fundraiser for the Lung Association. When that ended, Chili-Fest become a standalone fundraising event for the firefighters.

Kelly said he and the firefighters want to thank Moncion Metro for donating the cake which was served as dessert, Bunsmaster for supplying the special bread bowls, and Murray Rutz of National Grocers, who supplied the take out materials like plastic knives, forks and spoons and the styrofoam containers.

Kelly said all money raised by this event will be going to local charities located within the city, explaining they will be going over all of the requests for donations they have been receiving to select the ones they feel could best use their support.

“Within the next couple of weeks, we'll start doling it out,” he said. “The money doesn't stay in our coffers for long.”